Letters: Minimum wage, death penalty, Rick Perry

Taking issue with death penalty stance

In the July 19 letter “Californians want the death penalty,” Daniel Jeffs states that the “decline in the administration of justice” (execution of prisoners) unnecessarily makes “the people much less secure against violent crime.”

In fact, violent crime in California has dropped substantially since its peak in 1992. Also, a felon serving life without parole, which is the alternative to execution, is of no greater a danger to the people than a felon who’s been executed. Mr. Jeffs also states that the death penalty is a deterrent against murder, but I’m aware of no conclusive evidence of that.

Finally, Mr. Jeffs states that lethal injection is the most humane way of administering the death penalty. It may be more humane than hanging, electrocution or the gas chamber; but it’s certainly not the most humane way of execution. As anyone who’s flown for the military can confirm, unconsciousness and death from insufficient oxygen, either in a hypobaric chamber or displacement of oxygen by a gas such as helium, occurs with no pain, and in fact with no sensation at all. - Benjamin E. Thurston, La Mesa

Let marketplace determine wages

I read Steve Greenhut’s take on San Diego city’s possible minimum wage increase (“Based on their logic, wage boosters are being stingy,” July 22). He is exactly right that many businesses may not hire, or may lay off workers. However, he did not mention the real possibility of increased prices of goods and services, and the likely increase of wages for higher-paying jobs.

Why not let the marketplace determine wages? If an office-building owner needs two janitors, he can post job openings at $9 an hour. If no one applies, then he needs to raise the pay to what he thinks will attract competent help.

On the other hand, if 10,000 people apply for the $9 an hour position, then it apparently represents a very fair wage for that particular job.

Another aspect to consider is retention of employees. If $9 an hour attracts workers, but they don’t stick around very long, perhaps the working conditions, supervision, etc., require improvement.

Other conditions play in on the minimum-wage conversation, but the above-mentioned are paramount to its discussion. - Steve Eaton, Carlsbad

Perry’s motives are questionable

Some people will get all choked up over Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s faux humanitarian decision to send the National Guard to the Texas-Mexico border to help stop the influx of children coming into the U.S. illegally (“Texas sending Guard to Mexican border,” July 22). “I will not stand idly by while our citizens are under assault and little children from Central America are detained in squalor,” said a probably teary-eyed Perry. The rest of us will gag knowing full well that this is nothing more than an attempt to garner early support for yet another run for the presidency.

Militarizing the border with troops, trained for warfare not law enforcement, is what Perry sees as an active response to a failed federal attempt to secure the border.

If you actually believe that Rick Perry’s heartstrings are being pulled by the plight of children being exploited by criminals then this National Guard move is just the right medicine the governor ordered.

If, however, you think Perry’s motives are anything but humanitarian and more along the lines of his campaign to lure business to his state and voters to his side, then I think you understand what’s really behind his reasons. - Neil Proffitt, Oceanside

Not the time to take a vacation

The Middle East is falling apart. Our borders are falling apart. Our economy is falling apart. Where is our president, and where is our Congress?

It appears that our leaders, top to bottom, suffer from “decidophobia.”

What, in heaven’s name, is wrong? Why is all of this happening? Is there no one in Washington who has the guts to stand up for what is right? And now, with all these national and international crises, Congress is going to take a vacation? - James D. Lemon, San Diego

A solution to our water problems

In response to the letters regarding the water problem, we have at our back yard unlimited amount of water to use, the ocean. If we would build a desalination plant, like Carlsbad is doing, it would solve our problem. Ships at sea, submarines, cruise liners, use desalination to purify the water.

Desalination is used in dry countries, according to the International Desalination Association, In June 2011 15,988 desalination plants operated worldwide, produced 66.5 million cubic meters per day, providing water for 300 million people. - Floyd Kellman, Scripps Ranch